


Boughs of Holly

by Breath4Soul



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angry John, Arguing, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Feels, Happy Ending, Holly - Freeform, Johnlock - Freeform, Johnlock Fluff, Long-Term Relationship(s), M/M, Plants, Possibly Unrequited Love, Relationship(s), Sweet Sherlock, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-11 21:43:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5643028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Breath4Soul/pseuds/Breath4Soul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <b>Sherlock brings home a surprise. John is not pleased but Sherlock's reasoning turns out to be surprisinglying sentimental and sweet.</b>
</p><p> </p><p><b>______________</b><br/>John is scowling. He is openly regarding the waxy green plant with red berries with a level of animosity usually reserved for the chip and pin machines. </p><p>The small bush in a shiny metallic tin pot with a silver stick on bow rests innocently on the sitting room table in front of John.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Boughs of Holly

“You don’t like it?” Sherlock asks puzzled.

John is scowling. He is openly regarding the waxy green plant with red berries with a level of animosity usually reserved for the chip and pin machines. 

The small bush in a shiny metallic tin pot with a silver stick on bow rests innocently on the sitting room table in front of John.

“ _Ilex aquifolium_ , commonly known as _Holly,_ ” Sherlock states as he unwinds his scarf and whips off his coat in his typical flourish. He hangs them on the hook in the hall and returns to beam proudly at the plant in front of John as if the consulting detective had somehow made it spring forth by will alone. 

“I know what it is,” John growls. He doesn’t take his eyes off the plant as if he expects it might pounce on him if he does not hold it in his gaze. “Saying the genus and species in your most posh and eloquent accent isn’t going to make me have any more love for it, you daft genius.” 

Sherlock frowns at this, looking from the plant to John as if they were a cherished couple having a fight. 

John softens a little and decides to shift the topic. “What’s it doing here?”

“Lestrade.”

“Why does Lestrade suddenly hate us?

“He doesn’t hate us… Well, not _you_ at least… He received it as a present and confided that he’d probably kill it because he lacks any knowledge or skill in botany matters. Something about his thumb. I convinced him to allow me to have it.”

“Why on earth would you do that, Sherlock?” John bristles. 

Sherlock smiles. “I thought you’d be pleased, I _did_ prevent a murder.” John laughs, but he continues to regard the plant with an expression of contempt. 

“It is a fine plant, John.” when John stares at him skeptically he adds, “In the Black Forest they use its leaves as a substitute for making tea.“

“Yeah? I bet they use it for making potions for curses too.” John snorts. He isn’t surprised when Sherlock just stares at him as if he is babbling nonsesnse. 

“You don’t care for it, obviously.”

“ _Obviously,_ ” John confirms. “It’s toxic to humans and animals.”

“Well as long as you refrain from eating the berries, John.” Sherlock says with a smile that plays at being scornful and an eye roll.

“I’ve treated enough cases of accidental consumption by children and heard enough patients bemoaning their sick pets over this stupid plant,” John says fixing the bush on the table with a hostile stare as if it alone were responsible for these incidents.

Sherlock is quiet a long moment. “Holly is _dioecious_ , meaning that there are male plants and female plants.”

“Why would that matter?” John grouses.

Sherlock narrows his eyes. “You often appear to be swayed by _emotionality_ , I thought that this fact may provide some anthropomorphic feature that would naturally _humanize_ the plant for you.”

John smirks and shakes his head. 

“You can hardly blame _this_ plant for every illness its species has ever caused… That would be like condemning one person for the misdeeds of all of humanity, John.”

John shifts in his chair uneasily, suddenly recognizing the weight of Sherlock’s argument. He wasn’t anticipating a heady philosophical debate over a plant. “It has the capacity… its very nature-”

“Some would say the same about humans,” Sherlock retorts with tempered passion. He stares at John a long moment. 

Sherlock runs his eyes over John in that way that makes the tops of John’s ears burn. “Surely you, of all people, can appreciate that some things must _appear innocuous_ … “ Sherlock’s eyes rest on John’s festive jumper a few seconds before flicking up to John’s face again. “To belie the fact that they are capable of being dangerous for any one idiotic enough to think they can take advantage.” 

A small smile is playing on Sherlock’s lips and the way he is looking at John makes something high in John’s chest tighten. He pulls his eyes away from Sherlock to look at the plant again.

“You like it because it reminds you of _me?_ ” John forces the words out around the lump that has formed in his throat.

Sherlock’s smile widens, but he has moved to the desk and is looking at his laptop now. “It has a great capacity to adapt to different conditions and is a pioneer species… going where others can’t.”

John clears his throat and licks his lips. He has a feeling that going forward it will be difficult to have a life that in some fashion doesn’t have a Holly plant. No matter where he lives, with or without Sherlock (though he can’t really let his mind touch the second possibility) this moment means his home will always have a Holly plant.

As if Sherlock can read his thoughts he states matterfactly, “They can live up to 500 years… I think we should call him Hamish.”

**Author's Note:**

> _JLAC Prompt (@cyn2k): John hates holly and Sherlock convinces him to like it._   
> 


End file.
